Creature Conflict: The Clan Wars Preview

There are games that will make you laugh, games that will make you stay up until an indecent hour in the morning playing them, and games that make you want to drag your friends online for a multiplayer match as soon as you get done with the tutorial. Creature Conflict: the Clan Wars is an amazing game that fits into the all these categories. It is a great deal of fun mixed with humor and an incredible replay value. Following in the footsteps of the comic games of mass destruction such as the Worms series, Creature Conflict is definitely going to keep fans of the genre happy for quite some time. 

Set in a distant universe where the laws of physics aren’t quite the same, the world of Creature Conflict is an epic tale waiting to happen. The animals in this world are highly creative and more than a little mischievous. All in all it is a recipe for fun, but when a spirit of ancient power begins seducing all the races into the dark side, promising them a wealth of power then keep an eye out for the hilarity. Instead of harassing their neighbors the animals are now turning their attention to a brewing war over the source of this power. The animal clans, such as the intelligent apes or the honorable wolves, are preparing for a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish.

Players are given several ways to play the game. There is a highly entertaining campaign series as well as multiplayer modes. Players can indulge in king-of-the-hill style combat, capture the flag, or a traditional death match. Once a round starts the player will be dropped into a world with their chosen team. Each world is exactly that: a small sphere orbiting in space. In other strategy games players could wall themselves into a corner, cutting down on the ways an enemy could attack them. One of the best features of Creature Conflict is that this is no longer an issue. Players can literally shoot around the globe to hit their targets. 

The physics engine for Creature Conflict is very well done. It is always hilarious to watch an animal fire a shot off with a grenade or other projectile and watch it streak around the planet several times before landing. This isn’t to say that everything that goes up must come down. If you misjudge the angle of your attack the shot can reach escape velocity, flying clear off the game world. The gravity works extremely well for such a small sphere. Players also have to be concerned with the terrain around them. Anything from the ground itself to buildings can be used as cover. And anything can be destroyed with enough explosives.

The addictive and entertaining gameplay is matched with the equally exquisite graphics of Creature Conflict. The game designers have drawn their inspiration for the worlds and the animals from the classic cartoon style. Many of the characters players will control or face look like they stepped off the lot from the old Looney Toons. The 3D world is rendered in bright colors with wonderful detail. Individual character animations, from walking to being shot at, are all extremely smooth. Given the cartoony slant of the game it's hard to say that they are life-like, but just watching the characters wander around the world can be entertaining in and of itself.

When the characters get into combat it is time for the fun to begin. Each character has a limited inventory that they carry into battle that is determined before the match starts. Players can take advantage of equipment like flame throwers, rocket launchers, machine guns, or explosives. Each weapon has its own unique look and feel. In addition there is no single “uber” weapon. Each weapon has its own strengths and flaws. The flame thrower, one of the most damaging weapons in the game, is also extremely short range. Grenades, which can be tricky to use, are also the easiest to fling around the planet, making them ideal for landing a blow against an enemy half-way around the world.

Combat is handled in a turn-based, round-robin format. Players have to take their turns in a pre-arranged sequence. One you have used an individual character you cannot use that character again until after you have used all the others. There are rare power-ups that allow you to change this, but for the rest of the time players cannot rely on a single character to do all their fighting. Each time a player has their turn they start with 30 seconds to take their action. They can run around the world to get in range or trade out weapons until they find the one they want. As soon as you pull the trigger, though, you’re stuck with that weapon. Each weapon has a set number of uses per turn. Once you have used up a weapon you have seven seconds to move to a new position before your turn is over. 

Fans of the turn-based, humorous strategy genre should definitely check out Creature Conflict: the Clan Wars. Anyone who is looking for a solid game packed with humor should also give this game a try. The mix of good graphics, diverse and interesting game play, and non-stop humor make this game definitely worth the price. Be prepared to laugh, to cry, and to spend far too many hours playing this addictive and fun strategy game. Jumping into the ring in a genre that has been blessed with some of the most amusing games in the last five years Creature Conflict might have its work cut out for it, but it is also definitely worthy of a shot at the title.